Course Enrollment Strategies | UC Berkeley Political Science

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en" dir="ltr" prefix="content: http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/ dc: http://purl.org/dc/terms/ foaf: http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/ og: http://ogp.me/ns# rdfs: http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema# schema: http://schema.org/ sioc: http://rdfs.org/sioc/ns# sioct: http://rdfs.org/sioc/types# skos: http://www.w3.org/2004/02/skos/core# xsd: http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema# "> <head> <meta charset="utf-8" /> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=UA-85628644-1"></script> <script>window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments)};gtag("js", new Date());gtag("set", "developer_id.dMDhkMT", true);gtag("config", "UA-85628644-1", {"groups":"default","page_placeholder":"PLACEHOLDER_page_path","allow_ad_personalization_signals":false});</script> <meta name="description" content="Advice on getting into courses and how the Political Science Department handles its course enrollments. Other departments may do things differently." /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://polisci.berkeley.edu/undergraduate-program/requirements-major/course-enrollment-strategies" /> <meta name="Generator" content="Drupal 10 (https://www.drupal.org)" /> <meta name="MobileOptimized" content="width" /> <meta name="HandheldFriendly" content="true" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" /> <link rel="icon" href="/sites/all/themes/polisci/favicon.ico" type="image/vnd.microsoft.icon" /> <title>Course Enrollment Strategies | UC Berkeley Political Science</title> <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Roboto:100,300,400,500,700,900&display=swap" rel="stylesheet"> <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Open+Sans:300,400,600,700,800&display=swap" rel="stylesheet"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://use.typekit.net/lrs2kqv.css"> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/sites/default/files/css/css_TajVSpudUTiWunVroO_aOqAb5O8__vl4X91vCW5nvF0.css?delta=0&language=en&theme=polisci&include=eJw9ilEKAzEIBS-UrkdajNpF1tUQLTS3bwttfx4zw6NTWCvmjkQxWcPhT9t9hpc4N_q9ekRlTRx7YU_4TCPDzAUeLE2eZeon8HwMtO2rbYRpksJh0dFuWeudj5YrSy7omPICcRs1pg" /> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/sites/default/files/css/css_OX9-HHgP_zr-TQbdOvluOzuQcoPcZQ33FBTsz5V7_ZM.css?delta=1&language=en&theme=polisci&include=eJw9ilEKAzEIBS-UrkdajNpF1tUQLTS3bwttfx4zw6NTWCvmjkQxWcPhT9t9hpc4N_q9ekRlTRx7YU_4TCPDzAUeLE2eZeon8HwMtO2rbYRpksJh0dFuWeudj5YrSy7omPICcRs1pg" /> </head> <body class="page-undergraduate-program-requirements-major-course-enrollment-strategies path-node page-node-type-page"> <a href="#main-content" class="visually-hidden focusable skip-link"> Skip to main content </a> <div class="dialog-off-canvas-main-canvas" data-off-canvas-main-canvas> <div class="layout-container header-layout-container"> <header role="banner"> <div class="container">  <div class="navbar-toggler-container" > <button onclick="this.blur();" class="navbar-toggler hamburger hamburger--3dy-r" type="button" data-toggle="collapse" data-target="#collapse_target" tabindex="0" aria-label="Menu" role="button" aria-controls="navigation"> <span class="hamburger-box"> <span class="hamburger-inner"></span> </span> </button> </div> <a id="navbar-brand" class="" href="/"> <img alt="UCB Statistics" title="UCB Statistics" id="logo" src="/sites/all/themes/polisci/logo.svg"/> </a> <div id="header-nav"> <div class="region region-header"> <nav role="navigation" aria-labelledby="block-usertypemenu-menu" id="block-usertypemenu"> <ul class="menu root-menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/intranet/faculty" title="" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/958">Faculty</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/intranet/graduate-students" title="" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/959">Graduate Students</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/intranet/staff" title="" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/960">Staff</a> </li> </ul> </nav> <div id="block-searchtopnavblock" class="block block-polisci-general block-polisci-search-top-nav-block"> <a title="Open Search" href="/search" class="search-toggle"><i></i><span>Search</span></a><div class="active-search-container"><form class="header-search-form" data-drupal-selector="header-search-form" action="/undergraduate-program/requirements-major/course-enrollment-strategies" method="post" id="header-search-form" accept-charset="UTF-8"> <div class="js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textfield form-type-textfield js-form-item-search form-item-search"> <label for="edit-search" class="js-form-required form-required">Search by keyword</label> <div class="add-focus-within"> <input placeholder="Search by keyword" autocomplete="off" data-drupal-selector="edit-search" type="text" id="edit-search" name="search" value="" size="60" maxlength="128" class="form-text required" required="required" aria-required="true" /> </div> </div> <div class="add-focus-within"> <input autocomplete="off" data-drupal-selector="form-tm-q8-npfa6cdvz6hgykwv4ocn3-gdv6f-itrnqnyz0" type="hidden" name="form_build_id" value="form-tM-Q8_npFA6CDVZ6HGYkWV4oCn3_GDV6F_iTRnQNyz0" /> </div> <div class="add-focus-within"> <input data-drupal-selector="edit-header-search-form" type="hidden" name="form_id" value="header_search_form" /> </div> <div data-drupal-selector="edit-actions" class="form-actions js-form-wrapper form-wrapper" id="edit-actions"><div class="add-focus-within"> <input data-drupal-selector="edit-submit" type="submit" id="edit-submit" name="op" value="Search" class="button button--primary js-form-submit form-submit" /> </div> </div> </form> <a title="Close Search" href="/search" class="search-toggle"><i></i><span>Search</span></a></div> </div> </div> </div> <button class="search-toggler" data-toggle="collapse" data-target="#collapse_target" aria-label="Close"> <span class="search-toggler-icon "></span> </button> </div> </header> <div id="main-navigation-wrapper"> <div class="container flex-nowrap navbar-light nav-container"> <div class="menu-wrapper"> <div class="region region-primary-menu"> <nav role="navigation" aria-labelledby="block-polisci-main-menu-menu" id="block-polisci-main-menu"> <ul class="menu root-menu"> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/political-science-cal" title="Welcome to the Charles and Louise Travers Department of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley. Below, please find brief descriptions of the links and information you can find in this section." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/978">Political Science at Cal</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/political-science-cal/background" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/969">Background</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/150w" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3082">150 Years of Women at Berkeley</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/150w/jessica-blanche-peixotto" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3079">Jessica Blanche Peixotto</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/150w/hanna-pitkin" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3083">Hanna Pitkin</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/150w/sadako-ogata" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3077">Sadako Ogata</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/150w/ruth-berins-collier" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3080">Ruth Berins Collier</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/150w/judy-emily-gruber" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3206">Judy Gruber</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/150w/wendy-brown" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3078">Wendy Brown</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/150w/pearl-alice-marsh" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3081">Pearl Alice Marsh</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/150w/kathleen-thelen" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3205">Kathleen Thelen</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/travers-conference" title="Travers Conference" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/2254">Travers Conference</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/political-science-cal/travers-conference-archives" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/972">Travers Conference Archives</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2023-04-21/25th-annual-travers-conference-ethics-and-accountability-can-california-meet"> Can California meet the challenges of the 21st Century?</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2022-04-22/24th-annual-travers-conference-ethics-and-accountability-government"> The Governmental Response to Covid-19: Lessons and Preparing for the Next Pandemic</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2019-04-12/22nd-annual-travers-conference-ethics-and-accountability-government">Reforming Congress? </a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2019-04-12/22nd-annual-travers-conference-ethics-and-accountability-government">Is America Breaking Apart?</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2018-04-20/21st-annual-travers-conference-ethics-and-accountability-government">Parties and Partisanship in the Era of Twitter and Trump</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2017-04-21/20th-annual-travers-conference-ethics-and-accountability-government">Changing Washington? Prospects for Republican Rule Under Donald Trump</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2016-04-15/19th-annual-travers-conference-ethics-and-accountability-government">Election 2016</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2015-04-10/18th-annual-travers-conference-ethics-and-accountability-government">Money and Politics</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2014-05-01/17th-annual-travers-conference-ethics-and-accountability-government">Accountability in Higher Education</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/node/1687" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1687">California's Energy Future</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/travers-conference-archives/financing-california-strategies-fiscal" title="14th Annual Travers Conference in Ethics & Accountability" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1019">Financing California: Strategies for Fiscal Housekeeping</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/travers-conference-archives/managing-delta-governance-challenges-adaptive" title="15th Annual Travers Conference in Ethics & Accountability" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1020">Managing the Delta: The Governance Challenges of Adaptive Management</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/travers-conference-archives/what-ails-california" title="13th Annual Travers Conference in Ethics & Accountability" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1018">What Ails California?</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/undergraduate-programs" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/971">Undergraduate Programs</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/news" data-drupal-link-system-path="news">News</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/events" data-drupal-link-system-path="events">Events</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/media-relations" title="See a list of experts in our department on a variety of topics including the 2008 Presidential election, national security issues, U.S. foreign policy, and more. Also, connect with the UC Berkeley News Center and Media Relations Office." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/966">Media Relations</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/support-department" title="Learn about our current activities and future plans, then support the Charles and Louise Travers Department of Political Science by donating today!" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/967">Support the Department</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/visiting-scholars-policy" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1028">Visiting Scholars Policy</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/political-science-cal/commencement" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/973">Commencement</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/commencement/ceremony-details" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/974">Ceremony Details</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/commencement/parking-directions-accomodations" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/975">Parking, Directions, Accomodations</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/commencement/cap-gown-tickets-and-photographs" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/976">Cap, Gown, Tickets, and Photographs</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/letter-chair" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/2894">Letter from the Chair</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/belonging" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/2893">Belonging</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/belonging/belonging-berkeley-political-science" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/2895">Belonging in Berkeley Political Science</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/belonging/diversity" title="Our department is committed to providing opportunities and support to faculty, staff, and students from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives. Find information here about diversity and equity values, initiatives, and resources both within the departme" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/965">Diversity</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/research-and-teaching" title="" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/979">Research and Teaching</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/courses?course_type_tid=14" title="We offer over one hundred courses at the graduate and undergraduate level throughout the academic year. Search or browse through current and future course offerings, or find past course schedules in our archives." data-drupal-link-query="{"course_type_tid":"14"}" data-drupal-link-system-path="courses">Courses</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/subfields" title="Learn about the faculty, courses, and research for each of the five political science subfields as well as other specialized research areas that are explored by our department." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/984">Subfields</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/subfields/american-politics" title="American Politics brings together faculty and graduate students who seek to tackle a wide variety of the most important current topics in the field including but not limited to the balance of federal powers, economic inequality, the politics of immigratio" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/942">American Politics</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/subfields/comparative-politics" title="Comparative political economy, political regimes and regime change, political parties and organizations, and social mobilization are among the subjects of great interest among faculty and graduate students." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/943">Comparative Politics</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/faculty/lecturer/gsi-position-listings/international-relations" title="International Relations focuses on the study of contemporary and historical problems in world politics including work on an eclectic set of substantive issues that frequently cross over between international relations theory, security studies, and interna" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/944">International Relations</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/subfields/methodology-formal-theory" title="Empirical methodology and formal theory offers rigorous training that is carefully integrated with major sub?stantive agendas in political science." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/945">Methodology & Formal Theory</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/subfields/political-theory-philosophy" title="Political Theory & Philosophy in our department includes a full range of courses in political theory, including classical, modern, and contemporary political philosophy (both European and American)." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/946">Political Theory & Philosophy</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/subfields/models-politics" title="The Models & Politics subfield connects advanced training in formal modeling techniques with innovative substantive research in political science." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/947">Models & Politics</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/subfields/political-behavior" title="Political behavior serves as a bridge between political science, political psychology and political sociology, focusing on the social and psychological processes by which individuals and groups engage in political life." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/948">Political Behavior</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/subfields/political-economy" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3378">Political Economy</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/subfields/public-policy-organization" title="Public policy studies explore political responses to specific public problems, like environmental degradation, poverty, or disease." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/950">Public Policy & Organization</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/subfields/race-and-ethnic-politics" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/2616">Race and Ethnic Politics</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/lectures-colloquia" title="The Charles and Louise Travers Department of Political Science sponsors several lecture series, seminars, and colloquia in conjunction with a few of the University's research centers. Please follow the links below to find schedules, links to papers," data-drupal-link-system-path="node/986">Lectures & Colloquia</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/lectures-colloquia/comparative-politics-colloquium" title="Faculty, graduate students, and invited scholars meet weekly to present current research in the field of comparative politics. The papers discussed at the colloquium address a broad range of topics, methodologies, and regions of the world." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1006">Comparative Politics Colloquium</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/lectures-colloquia/monday-international-relations-thoughts-series-mirth" title="Faculty, graduate students, and invited scholars meet weekly to present current research in the field of international relations. The papers discussed at the colloquium address a broad range of topics, methodologies, and regions of the world." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1848">Monday International Relations Thoughts Series (MIRTH) Colloquium</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/lectures-colloquia/political-theory-workshop" title="This course is designed as a workshop for the presentation and discussion of work-in-progress in moral, political, and legal theory. The central aim of the course is to provide an opportunity for students to engage directly with philosophers, political th" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/2005">Political Theory Workshop</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/lectures-colloquia/research-workshop-american-politics-rwap-colloquium" title="Faculty, graduate students, and invited scholars meet weekly to present current research in the field of comparative politics. The papers discussed at the colloquium address a broad range of topics and methodologies." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1849">Research Workshop in American Politics (RWAP) Colloquium</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/lectures-colloquia/research-workshop-quantitative-modeling" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3728">Research Workshop in Quantitative Modeling</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/lectures-colloquia/practice-job-talks" title="Practice Job Talks" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/2171">Practice Job Talks</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/centers-and-institutes" title="Learn more about the research centers and institutes around campus where our faculty members are studying a variety of issues and topics related to political science, including the Institute on Government Studies, the Survey Research Center, and the Insti" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1005">Centers and Institutes</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/faculty/lecturer/gsi-position-listings" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/985">Faculty/Lecturer/GSI Position Listings</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded menu-item--active-trail"> <a href="/undergraduate-program" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/980">Undergraduate Program</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/academic-opportunities" title="Browse through the many opportunities to get involved in the department and enhance your undergraduate education outside the classroom." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/987">Academic Opportunities</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/academic-opportunities/student-groups" title="Find information about political science student groups including the Asian Political Association, Pi Sigma Alpha Honors Society, Politica, and the Undergraduate Political Science Association" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1002">Student Groups</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/academic-opportunities/mailing-lists" title="Subscribe or unsubscribe to department email lists including the Undergraduate Students list, Jobs & Internships list, and the "What's Happening" list." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1008">Mailing Lists</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/academic-opportunities/study-abroad" title="Learn about how to prepare for study abroad including information about what to do before you leave, as well as the criteria, evaluation process, and other policies on transferring courses from your program in order to meet department requirements." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/991">Study Abroad</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/academic-opportunities/honors-program" title="Find all of the information you need about our department honors program including eligibility and requirements." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/992">Honors Program</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/academic-opportunities/decal" title="Ensure that your student-run Democratic Education at Cal course is approved by learning and following each required step for successfully submitting your proposal." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/993">DeCal</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/academic-opportunities/research-opportunities" title="Learn how to fund and publish your faculty-led or independent undergraduate research project to enrich your undergraduate education." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/994">Research Opportunities</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/academic-opportunities/internship/field-study-credit" title="Find information about the political science department's independent study, internship, and field study courses." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1004">Internship / Field Study Credit</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/academic-opportunities/department-scholarships" title="Find eligibility and application requirements for political science department undergraduate scholarships including the Travers Undergraduate Scholarship in Ethics and Politics, and the Travers Family Undergraduate Fellowship at the Commonwealth Club." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/995">Department Scholarships</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--collapsed"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/learning-political-science" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1013">Learning in Political Science</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded menu-item--active-trail"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/requirements-major" title="Learn about the requirements to complete the major including rules and regulations of the program, course enrollment strategies, sample schedules, and what to do about incomplete grades." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/983">Requirements for the Major</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item menu-item--active-trail"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/requirements-major/course-enrollment-strategies" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1011" class="is-active" aria-current="page">Course Enrollment Strategies</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/requirements-major/incompletes" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1010">Incompletes</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/requirements-major/taking-courses-elsewhere" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1012">Taking Courses Elsewhere</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/courses?course_type_target_id=14" title="Review descriptions of the current semester's course offerings as well as links to course websites and archived descriptions by semester." data-drupal-link-query="{"course_type_target_id":"14"}" data-drupal-link-system-path="courses">Courses</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/declaring-major" title="Find out how to become a political science major, and learn about the different requirements for declaring the major based on when you were admitted to Cal." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1009">Declaring the Major</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/graduate-program" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/981">Graduate Program</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/graduate-program/phd-requirements" title="Read basic program requirements and typical annual curricula. Current students log into student intranet for more detailed policies and procedures." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/996">Ph.D. Requirements</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/courses?course_type_target_id=13" title="See the current list of graduate level courses as well as links to other department course offerings and archives of past offerings." data-drupal-link-query="{"course_type_target_id":"13"}" data-drupal-link-system-path="courses">Courses</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/graduate-program/applying" title="Get information about the application process, and find links to departmental and campus application materials." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/988">Applying</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/graduate-program/applying/graduate-study-political-science" title="Explore our PhD program including admissions standards and policies, program curriculum and requirements, and funding." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/997">Graduate Study in Political Science</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/graduate-program/applying/application-requirements" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/998">Application Requirements</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/graduate-program/applying/frequently-asked-questions" title="Not quite sure where to find the answer? Check the FAQs for answers to a variety of questions from where to mail your transcripts to how to calculate your GPA." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/999">Frequently Asked Questions</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/people" title="Reach out to our faculty and current graduate students, or contact admissions staff directly at pscadmit@berkeley.edu." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/977">Contact Us</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/graduate-program/funding" title="Discover a variety of resources to fund your graduate education, as well as descriptions of the components found in most funding packages." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1003">Funding</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/graduate-program/job-placement" title="Read about our finishing students currently on the job market and previous successes in job placement. Current students log into student intranet for access to the placement system." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/989">Job Placement</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/graduate-program/job-placement/information-resources-services" title="Learn about the job placement services we offer in the department, and register for our online system (current students and alumni only)." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1007">Information, Resources, & Services</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/graduate-program/job-placement/department-placement-history" title="Scan through lists of the institutions at which our PhD students have successfully found employment over the past few years." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1000">Department Placement History</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/graduate-program/graduate-student-association" title="The Political Science Graduate Students Association (PSGSA) represents students in the department and serves to increase communication between the department's faculty, administration and students as well as to facilitate a variety of social activities an" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1001">Graduate Student Association</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/graduate-program/alumni" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1850">Alumni</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/people" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/977">People</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/people/faculty" data-drupal-link-system-path="people/faculty">Faculty</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/people/staff" data-drupal-link-system-path="people/staff">Administration & Staff</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/people/graduate-students" data-drupal-link-system-path="people/graduate-students">Graduate Students</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/people/job-candidates" data-drupal-link-system-path="people/job-candidates">PhDs on the Job Market</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/people/alumni" data-drupal-link-system-path="people/alumni">Alumni</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/people/affiliates" data-drupal-link-system-path="people/affiliates">Affiliates</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/people/department-chairs" data-drupal-link-system-path="people/department-chairs">Department Chairs</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/people/emeritus-faculty" data-drupal-link-system-path="people/emeritus-faculty">Emeritus Faculty</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/give" target="_blank" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3363">Give Now</a> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="mobile_nav"></div> <div id="mobile_search"></div> </div> <div role="banner" class="banner-header"> <div class="region region-banner-header"> <section id="block-block-content-1fb191db-1922-4f20-a07a-5b2e5f46c2dd" class="block block-banner-header block-block-content block-block-content1fb191db-1922-4f20-a07a-5b2e5f46c2dd clearfix" style="background-image:url(/sites/default/files/2020-12/UNDERGRAD.jpg)"> <div class="container"> <h2 class="banner-title"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><h2>Undergraduate Program</h2></div> </h2> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="region region-highlighted"> <div data-drupal-messages-fallback class="hidden"></div> </div> <div class="layout-content"> </div> <main role="main"> <a id="main-content" tabindex="-1"></a> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <aside class="layout-sidebar-first col-md-4" role="complementary"> <div class="region region-sidebar-first"> <nav role="navigation" aria-labelledby="block-mainmenu-menu" id="block-mainmenu"> <h2 class="visually-hidden" id="block-mainmenu-menu">Main menu</h2> <ul class="menu root-menu"> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/political-science-cal" title="Welcome to the Charles and Louise Travers Department of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley. Below, please find brief descriptions of the links and information you can find in this section." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/978">Political Science at Cal</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/political-science-cal/background" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/969">Background</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/150w" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3082">150 Years of Women at Berkeley</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/150w/jessica-blanche-peixotto" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3079">Jessica Blanche Peixotto</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/150w/hanna-pitkin" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3083">Hanna Pitkin</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/150w/sadako-ogata" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3077">Sadako Ogata</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/150w/ruth-berins-collier" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3080">Ruth Berins Collier</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/150w/judy-emily-gruber" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3206">Judy Gruber</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/150w/wendy-brown" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3078">Wendy Brown</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/150w/pearl-alice-marsh" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3081">Pearl Alice Marsh</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/150w/kathleen-thelen" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3205">Kathleen Thelen</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/travers-conference" title="Travers Conference" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/2254">Travers Conference</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/political-science-cal/travers-conference-archives" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/972">Travers Conference Archives</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2023-04-21/25th-annual-travers-conference-ethics-and-accountability-can-california-meet"> Can California meet the challenges of the 21st Century?</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2022-04-22/24th-annual-travers-conference-ethics-and-accountability-government"> The Governmental Response to Covid-19: Lessons and Preparing for the Next Pandemic</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2019-04-12/22nd-annual-travers-conference-ethics-and-accountability-government">Reforming Congress? </a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2019-04-12/22nd-annual-travers-conference-ethics-and-accountability-government">Is America Breaking Apart?</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2018-04-20/21st-annual-travers-conference-ethics-and-accountability-government">Parties and Partisanship in the Era of Twitter and Trump</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2017-04-21/20th-annual-travers-conference-ethics-and-accountability-government">Changing Washington? Prospects for Republican Rule Under Donald Trump</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2016-04-15/19th-annual-travers-conference-ethics-and-accountability-government">Election 2016</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2015-04-10/18th-annual-travers-conference-ethics-and-accountability-government">Money and Politics</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2014-05-01/17th-annual-travers-conference-ethics-and-accountability-government">Accountability in Higher Education</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/node/1687" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1687">California's Energy Future</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/travers-conference-archives/financing-california-strategies-fiscal" title="14th Annual Travers Conference in Ethics & Accountability" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1019">Financing California: Strategies for Fiscal Housekeeping</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/travers-conference-archives/managing-delta-governance-challenges-adaptive" title="15th Annual Travers Conference in Ethics & Accountability" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1020">Managing the Delta: The Governance Challenges of Adaptive Management</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/travers-conference-archives/what-ails-california" title="13th Annual Travers Conference in Ethics & Accountability" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1018">What Ails California?</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/undergraduate-programs" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/971">Undergraduate Programs</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/news" data-drupal-link-system-path="news">News</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/events" data-drupal-link-system-path="events">Events</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/media-relations" title="See a list of experts in our department on a variety of topics including the 2008 Presidential election, national security issues, U.S. foreign policy, and more. Also, connect with the UC Berkeley News Center and Media Relations Office." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/966">Media Relations</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/support-department" title="Learn about our current activities and future plans, then support the Charles and Louise Travers Department of Political Science by donating today!" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/967">Support the Department</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/visiting-scholars-policy" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1028">Visiting Scholars Policy</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/political-science-cal/commencement" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/973">Commencement</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/commencement/ceremony-details" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/974">Ceremony Details</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/commencement/parking-directions-accomodations" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/975">Parking, Directions, Accomodations</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/commencement/cap-gown-tickets-and-photographs" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/976">Cap, Gown, Tickets, and Photographs</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/political-science-cal/letter-chair" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/2894">Letter from the Chair</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/belonging" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/2893">Belonging</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/belonging/belonging-berkeley-political-science" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/2895">Belonging in Berkeley Political Science</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/belonging/diversity" title="Our department is committed to providing opportunities and support to faculty, staff, and students from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives. Find information here about diversity and equity values, initiatives, and resources both within the departme" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/965">Diversity</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/research-and-teaching" title="" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/979">Research and Teaching</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/courses?course_type_tid=14" title="We offer over one hundred courses at the graduate and undergraduate level throughout the academic year. Search or browse through current and future course offerings, or find past course schedules in our archives." data-drupal-link-query="{"course_type_tid":"14"}" data-drupal-link-system-path="courses">Courses</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/subfields" title="Learn about the faculty, courses, and research for each of the five political science subfields as well as other specialized research areas that are explored by our department." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/984">Subfields</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/subfields/american-politics" title="American Politics brings together faculty and graduate students who seek to tackle a wide variety of the most important current topics in the field including but not limited to the balance of federal powers, economic inequality, the politics of immigratio" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/942">American Politics</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/subfields/comparative-politics" title="Comparative political economy, political regimes and regime change, political parties and organizations, and social mobilization are among the subjects of great interest among faculty and graduate students." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/943">Comparative Politics</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/faculty/lecturer/gsi-position-listings/international-relations" title="International Relations focuses on the study of contemporary and historical problems in world politics including work on an eclectic set of substantive issues that frequently cross over between international relations theory, security studies, and interna" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/944">International Relations</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/subfields/methodology-formal-theory" title="Empirical methodology and formal theory offers rigorous training that is carefully integrated with major sub?stantive agendas in political science." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/945">Methodology & Formal Theory</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/subfields/political-theory-philosophy" title="Political Theory & Philosophy in our department includes a full range of courses in political theory, including classical, modern, and contemporary political philosophy (both European and American)." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/946">Political Theory & Philosophy</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/subfields/models-politics" title="The Models & Politics subfield connects advanced training in formal modeling techniques with innovative substantive research in political science." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/947">Models & Politics</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/subfields/political-behavior" title="Political behavior serves as a bridge between political science, political psychology and political sociology, focusing on the social and psychological processes by which individuals and groups engage in political life." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/948">Political Behavior</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/subfields/political-economy" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3378">Political Economy</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/subfields/public-policy-organization" title="Public policy studies explore political responses to specific public problems, like environmental degradation, poverty, or disease." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/950">Public Policy & Organization</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/subfields/race-and-ethnic-politics" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/2616">Race and Ethnic Politics</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/lectures-colloquia" title="The Charles and Louise Travers Department of Political Science sponsors several lecture series, seminars, and colloquia in conjunction with a few of the University's research centers. Please follow the links below to find schedules, links to papers," data-drupal-link-system-path="node/986">Lectures & Colloquia</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/lectures-colloquia/comparative-politics-colloquium" title="Faculty, graduate students, and invited scholars meet weekly to present current research in the field of comparative politics. The papers discussed at the colloquium address a broad range of topics, methodologies, and regions of the world." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1006">Comparative Politics Colloquium</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/lectures-colloquia/monday-international-relations-thoughts-series-mirth" title="Faculty, graduate students, and invited scholars meet weekly to present current research in the field of international relations. The papers discussed at the colloquium address a broad range of topics, methodologies, and regions of the world." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1848">Monday International Relations Thoughts Series (MIRTH) Colloquium</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/lectures-colloquia/political-theory-workshop" title="This course is designed as a workshop for the presentation and discussion of work-in-progress in moral, political, and legal theory. The central aim of the course is to provide an opportunity for students to engage directly with philosophers, political th" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/2005">Political Theory Workshop</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/lectures-colloquia/research-workshop-american-politics-rwap-colloquium" title="Faculty, graduate students, and invited scholars meet weekly to present current research in the field of comparative politics. The papers discussed at the colloquium address a broad range of topics and methodologies." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1849">Research Workshop in American Politics (RWAP) Colloquium</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/lectures-colloquia/research-workshop-quantitative-modeling" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3728">Research Workshop in Quantitative Modeling</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/lectures-colloquia/practice-job-talks" title="Practice Job Talks" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/2171">Practice Job Talks</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/centers-and-institutes" title="Learn more about the research centers and institutes around campus where our faculty members are studying a variety of issues and topics related to political science, including the Institute on Government Studies, the Survey Research Center, and the Insti" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1005">Centers and Institutes</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/research-and-teaching/faculty/lecturer/gsi-position-listings" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/985">Faculty/Lecturer/GSI Position Listings</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded menu-item--active-trail"> <a href="/undergraduate-program" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/980">Undergraduate Program</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/academic-opportunities" title="Browse through the many opportunities to get involved in the department and enhance your undergraduate education outside the classroom." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/987">Academic Opportunities</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/academic-opportunities/student-groups" title="Find information about political science student groups including the Asian Political Association, Pi Sigma Alpha Honors Society, Politica, and the Undergraduate Political Science Association" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1002">Student Groups</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/academic-opportunities/mailing-lists" title="Subscribe or unsubscribe to department email lists including the Undergraduate Students list, Jobs & Internships list, and the "What's Happening" list." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1008">Mailing Lists</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/academic-opportunities/study-abroad" title="Learn about how to prepare for study abroad including information about what to do before you leave, as well as the criteria, evaluation process, and other policies on transferring courses from your program in order to meet department requirements." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/991">Study Abroad</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/academic-opportunities/honors-program" title="Find all of the information you need about our department honors program including eligibility and requirements." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/992">Honors Program</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/academic-opportunities/decal" title="Ensure that your student-run Democratic Education at Cal course is approved by learning and following each required step for successfully submitting your proposal." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/993">DeCal</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/academic-opportunities/research-opportunities" title="Learn how to fund and publish your faculty-led or independent undergraduate research project to enrich your undergraduate education." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/994">Research Opportunities</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/academic-opportunities/internship/field-study-credit" title="Find information about the political science department's independent study, internship, and field study courses." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1004">Internship / Field Study Credit</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/academic-opportunities/department-scholarships" title="Find eligibility and application requirements for political science department undergraduate scholarships including the Travers Undergraduate Scholarship in Ethics and Politics, and the Travers Family Undergraduate Fellowship at the Commonwealth Club." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/995">Department Scholarships</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/learning-political-science" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1013">Learning in Political Science</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/learning-political-science/philosophy-political-science-major" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1014">Philosophy of the Political Science Major</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded menu-item--active-trail"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/requirements-major" title="Learn about the requirements to complete the major including rules and regulations of the program, course enrollment strategies, sample schedules, and what to do about incomplete grades." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/983">Requirements for the Major</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item menu-item--active-trail"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/requirements-major/course-enrollment-strategies" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1011" class="is-active" aria-current="page">Course Enrollment Strategies</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/requirements-major/incompletes" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1010">Incompletes</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/requirements-major/taking-courses-elsewhere" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1012">Taking Courses Elsewhere</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/courses?course_type_target_id=14" title="Review descriptions of the current semester's course offerings as well as links to course websites and archived descriptions by semester." data-drupal-link-query="{"course_type_target_id":"14"}" data-drupal-link-system-path="courses">Courses</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/undergraduate-program/declaring-major" title="Find out how to become a political science major, and learn about the different requirements for declaring the major based on when you were admitted to Cal." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1009">Declaring the Major</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/graduate-program" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/981">Graduate Program</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/graduate-program/phd-requirements" title="Read basic program requirements and typical annual curricula. Current students log into student intranet for more detailed policies and procedures." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/996">Ph.D. Requirements</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/courses?course_type_target_id=13" title="See the current list of graduate level courses as well as links to other department course offerings and archives of past offerings." data-drupal-link-query="{"course_type_target_id":"13"}" data-drupal-link-system-path="courses">Courses</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/graduate-program/applying" title="Get information about the application process, and find links to departmental and campus application materials." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/988">Applying</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/graduate-program/applying/graduate-study-political-science" title="Explore our PhD program including admissions standards and policies, program curriculum and requirements, and funding." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/997">Graduate Study in Political Science</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/graduate-program/applying/application-requirements" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/998">Application Requirements</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/graduate-program/applying/frequently-asked-questions" title="Not quite sure where to find the answer? Check the FAQs for answers to a variety of questions from where to mail your transcripts to how to calculate your GPA." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/999">Frequently Asked Questions</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/people" title="Reach out to our faculty and current graduate students, or contact admissions staff directly at pscadmit@berkeley.edu." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/977">Contact Us</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/graduate-program/funding" title="Discover a variety of resources to fund your graduate education, as well as descriptions of the components found in most funding packages." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1003">Funding</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/graduate-program/job-placement" title="Read about our finishing students currently on the job market and previous successes in job placement. Current students log into student intranet for access to the placement system." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/989">Job Placement</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/graduate-program/job-placement/information-resources-services" title="Learn about the job placement services we offer in the department, and register for our online system (current students and alumni only)." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1007">Information, Resources, & Services</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/graduate-program/job-placement/department-placement-history" title="Scan through lists of the institutions at which our PhD students have successfully found employment over the past few years." data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1000">Department Placement History</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/graduate-program/graduate-student-association" title="The Political Science Graduate Students Association (PSGSA) represents students in the department and serves to increase communication between the department's faculty, administration and students as well as to facilitate a variety of social activities an" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1001">Graduate Student Association</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/graduate-program/alumni" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/1850">Alumni</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--expanded"> <a href="/people" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/977">People</a> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/people/faculty" data-drupal-link-system-path="people/faculty">Faculty</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/people/staff" data-drupal-link-system-path="people/staff">Administration & Staff</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/people/graduate-students" data-drupal-link-system-path="people/graduate-students">Graduate Students</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/people/job-candidates" data-drupal-link-system-path="people/job-candidates">PhDs on the Job Market</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/people/alumni" data-drupal-link-system-path="people/alumni">Alumni</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/people/affiliates" data-drupal-link-system-path="people/affiliates">Affiliates</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/people/department-chairs" data-drupal-link-system-path="people/department-chairs">Department Chairs</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/people/emeritus-faculty" data-drupal-link-system-path="people/emeritus-faculty">Emeritus Faculty</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/give" target="_blank" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3363">Give Now</a> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> </aside> <div class="col-lg-8 main-content layout-content"> <div class="region region-content"> <div id="block-polisci-page-title" class="block block-core block-page-title-block"> <h1><span property="dc:title">Course Enrollment Strategies</span> </h1> </div> <div id="block-polisci-polisci-system-main" class="block block-system block-system-main-block"> <article about="/undergraduate-program/requirements-major/course-enrollment-strategies" typeof="foaf:Document" class="node node--type-page node--view-mode-full"> <span property="dc:title" content="Course Enrollment Strategies" class="hidden"></span> <div class="node__content"> <div property="content:encoded" class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p></p><p>Advice on getting into courses and how the Political Science Department handles its course enrollments. Other departments may do things differently.</p> <ul> <li> <p><strong>Q:</strong> Will declaring the Poli Sci major help me enroll in Poli Sci classes?<br> <strong>A:</strong> Yes!! During Phase I, all upper-division PoliSci courses are restricted to declared PoliSci majors. In Phase II, the restrictions are lifted and anyone may enroll, as space permits. It is crucial to declare the major no later than March of your sophomore year so that taking two upper division Poli Sci courses each semester will keep you on track to graduate on time, as Poli Sci majors cannot sign up for more than two upper division Poli Sci courses in Phase 1, per department policy. </p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Q:</strong> I am not a declared PoliSci major. What's the best way to enroll in an upper division PoliSci course that I need to complete my major?<br> <strong>A:</strong> While it's true that you won't be able to directly enroll in upper division PoliSci courses in Phase I unless you are declared in the major, you are welcomed to wait list for upper division PoliSci courses in Phase I. The department attempts to enroll as many students off the wait list as possible before Phase II begins, as space permits.<br> With that said, if you are declared in another major, it's imperative that you talk to your major adviser to find out what alternative courses you can take to satisfy the requirement. Having a back-up course is vital to ensure you continue to make progress towards completing your major. For undeclared intended Political Science majors, get declared just as soon as you can! It will only benefit you as you pursue upper division courses in the major. Take a look at the following <a href="/node/1009" title="eligibility requirements to declare">page of our web site</a> for the eligibility requirements to declare, the dates and times of the upcoming declaration sessions and what you need to bring with you to the session.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Q:</strong> I'm number 20 on the Waiting List. What are my chances of getting in?<br> <strong>A:</strong> Many students are admitted from wait lists, so if you really want a class, hang in there, but please have a back-up course just in case. If a class is full, the only way to be moved in off the wait list is if other students drop. A lot depends on the size of the course. Also, for classes with discussion sections, your number on the section wait list is more important that your number on the overall class wait list. When scanning for people to enroll in the lecture, the computer will skip over the people wait listed for full discussion sections. So, if you are # 20 on the lecture waiting list and waitlisted for a discussion section that has an open space, you will be the first person chosen if numbers 1-19 are waitlisted for full discussion sections. After the third week of class, the computer no longer automatically adds people from wait lists - the instructors manually decide who gets in, if space is available. At that point, for classes with discussion sections, getting in rests upon your being admitted into a discussion section. Until then, the question is: Should you hold out for the preferred discussion section (and risk not getting into the class) or enroll in an undesirable section (which will get you in the class) that you may be stuck with? Only you can decide. Once underway, some classes post Switch Lists for people wanting to change sections, if that helps.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Q:</strong> The On-line Schedule of Classes says there are seats available in a course, but when I try, it tells me it's full. Why?<br> <strong>A:</strong> Once a class is full, it stays that way even if students drop out. The vacated seats are held for people on the Waiting List. Wait Lists are run every weekend starting with Phase I and then nightly during the Adjustment Period, which begins the week before classes begin.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Q:</strong> CalCentral says I do not meet the departmental restriction. What does that mean?<br> <strong>A:</strong> Some courses hold seats for different categories of students (sometimes by major or class level) for various reasons. These restrictions sometimes disappear after Phase I or Phase II. Until then, your best bet is to get on the waiting list and check the PoliSci course website or the online Schedule of Classes for updates.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Q:</strong> Did I get a late appointment date because I'm not declared?<br> <strong>A:</strong> No. Appointment dates are determined by class level, not major status. Within a class level, dates are assigned randomly.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Q:</strong> What should I do if I'm not in a class by the time classes start?<br> <strong>A:</strong> Get on Waiting Lists and be sure to go to the first class meetings. There are usually several no-shows in the first two weeks of class. Most PoliSci undergraduate courses have automatic wait lists the first three weeks of class, which means that students are enrolled sequentially off the wait list as space becomes available. However, check the online Schedule of Classes and/or ask your instructor (or GSI) on how your particular course wait list is going to be processed.</p> <p> Please note that unless students drop from a full course, there is no way to be moved off the wait list. It may appear that a course has open spaces when the course is actually full. There are several factors that determine the enrollment limit of a course, not just the room size (i.e. GSI availability). If a course meets in a room that can seat 75 students, but the enrollment limit is set to 54, the limit is 54. Unfortunately, 21 extra students cannot be added to the class.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Q:</strong> I'm way down on the Waiting List for a course I don't want anyway. I don't need to drop it, do I?<br> <strong>A:</strong> Play it safe and drop classes you don't want, even if you're only on the Waiting List. </p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Q:</strong> If the instructor says I'm in the class, do I need to do anything?<br> <strong>A:</strong> Yes! Sometimes they forget or are unable to manually add you. So check! Be sure you are enrolled by the end of the fifth week, or you will not be able to add it after that. If the deadline looms and you have not yet been enrolled, remind your instructor about your impending deadline.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Q:</strong> If I don't go to the first day of class, I'll automatically be dropped, right?<br> <strong>A:</strong> Some instructors drop any student who misses a class the first two weeks, and some don't. Play it safe - if you don't want the course, drop it yourself. Check your schedule every so often but absolutely before the fifth week drop deadline. Remember, you may NOT drop or add courses after the end of the fifth week! If you're enrolled in a course you are not attending, you'll get an F.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Q:</strong> When's the last day I can use CalCentral to add, drop, or change the grading option myself?<br> <strong>A:</strong> To add, drop, change the units (on variable unit courses), or to change from a P/NP to a letter grade: the deadline is the end of the fifth week of the semester. To change a grade from a letter grade to P/NP (only in that direction) the deadline is the end of the tenth week of the semester. Note: If you are enrolled in any Early Drop Deadline Courses, your deadline to drop is the end of the second week. There are no Political Science courses on the Early Drop Deadline list, but you might be enrolled in one from another department, so check the Registrar's website for an up-to-date list: <a class="external" href="http://registrar.berkeley.edu/?PageID=edd.html"><u>http://registrar.berkeley.edu/?PageID=edd.html (external link)</u></a>.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Q:</strong> When's the last day to add or drop a course without paying a fee?<br> <strong>A:</strong> The end of the second week of the semester to drop, the end of the third week to add. After those deadlines, dropping costs $10/course, adding costs $5/course.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Q:</strong> What happens if I'm not enrolled in ANYTHING by the end of the third week of the semester?<br> <strong>A:</strong> If you are a continuing student, you'll have to use a Petition for Late Enrollment, get the instructor's signature for each course, and you will be charged a $150 late enrollment fee. Ouch!</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Q:</strong> How can I improve my karma, avoid fees, long lines, contribute to the smooth functioning of the system, and help my undergraduate advisers maintain their sanity?<br> <strong>A:</strong> Easy! Do as much as you can yourself on CalCentral. Get your schedule straight by the end of the 3rd week. Make someone on the Waiting List happy! Drop courses you know you don't want. Do a good deed and make life easier for yourself at the same time. The Universe thanks you.</p> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout-content"> </div> </main> <footer role="contentinfo"> <div class="container"> <div class="region region-footer"> <div id="block-footer" class="block block-block-content block-block-content5a3ac24b-04ba-470e-af68-7ca3673af643"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><div class="row d-flex justify-content-between"> <div class="col-4 first-column"> <img src="/sites/all/themes/polisci/img/FOOTER-LOGO.svg" alt="UCB political science department logo"> <div class="contact"> 210 Social Sciences Building, Berkeley, CA 94720-1950<br /> Main Office: (510) 642-6323 • Fax: (510) 642-9515<br /> Undergraduate Advising Office: (510) 642-3770 </div> </div> <div class="col-8 d-flex justify-content-center second-column"> <div class="col"> <h2>Useful Links</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/political-science-cal">Political Science at Cal</a></li> <li><a href="/belonging">Belonging</a></li> <li><a href="/research-and-teaching">Research & Teaching</a></li> <li><a href="/undergraduate-program">Undergraduate Program</a></li> <li><a href="/graduate-program">Graduate Program</a></li> <li><a href="/people">People</a></li> <li><a href="/political-science-cal/travers-program/background">About the Travers</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="col"> <h2>Intranet</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/intranet/faculty">Faculty</a></li> <li><a href="/intranet/graduate-students">Graduate Students</a></li> <li><a href="/intranet/staff">Staff</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div class="cc">© Copyright 2025 UC Regents • <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/" target="_BLANK">University of California, Berkeley</a> • <a href="https://ls.berkeley.edu/" target="_BLANK">College of Letters & Science</a></div> <div class="cc" style="margin:0px;"><a href="https://dac.berkeley.edu/web-accessibility" target="_BLANK">Accessibility</a>| <a href="https://ophd.berkeley.edu/policies-and-procedures/nondiscrimination-policy-statement" target="_BLANK">Nondiscrimination</a> | <a href="/privacy">Privacy</a></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </footer> </div> </div> <script type="application/json" data-drupal-selector="drupal-settings-json">{"path":{"baseUrl":"\/","pathPrefix":"","currentPath":"node\/1011","currentPathIsAdmin":false,"isFront":false,"currentLanguage":"en"},"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","suppressDeprecationErrors":true,"ajaxPageState":{"libraries":"eJxdi0EOQjEIRC-EnyM1lGLTfISmYGJvrybqws1k3uQNn9JG-irE7KsNN_y147rcUqwBf63qnpGLZkmqge8AVorYaN4E5JE67MS27pP0-CB0965SyEh3Dg78H2C6juCBXb2SXiL369ghdqTcsFLIE4uJQ0k","theme":"polisci","theme_token":null},"ajaxTrustedUrl":{"form_action_p_pvdeGsVG5zNF_XLGPTvYSKCf43t8qZYSwcfZl2uzM":true},"google_analytics":{"account":"UA-85628644-1","trackOutbound":true,"trackMailto":true,"trackTel":true,"trackDownload":true,"trackDownloadExtensions":"7z|aac|arc|arj|asf|asx|avi|bin|csv|doc|exe|flv|gif|gz|gzip|hqx|jar|jpe?g|js|mp(2|3|4|e?g)|mov(ie)?|msi|msp|pdf|phps|png|ppt|qtm?|ra(m|r)?|sea|sit|tar|tgz|torrent|txt|wav|wma|wmv|wpd|xls|xml|z|zip"},"data":{"extlink":{"extTarget":true,"extTargetAppendNewWindowLabel":"(opens in a new window)","extTargetNoOverride":false,"extNofollow":false,"extTitleNoOverride":false,"extNoreferrer":true,"extFollowNoOverride":false,"extClass":"ext","extLabel":"(link is external)","extImgClass":false,"extSubdomains":false,"extExclude":"","extInclude":"","extCssExclude":"","extCssInclude":"","extCssExplicit":"","extAlert":false,"extAlertText":"This link will take you to an external web site. We are not responsible for their content.","extHideIcons":false,"mailtoClass":"mailto","telClass":"","mailtoLabel":"(link sends email)","telLabel":"(link is a phone number)","extUseFontAwesome":false,"extIconPlacement":"append","extPreventOrphan":false,"extFaLinkClasses":"fa fa-external-link","extFaMailtoClasses":"fa fa-envelope-o","extAdditionalLinkClasses":"","extAdditionalMailtoClasses":"","extAdditionalTelClasses":"","extFaTelClasses":"fa fa-phone","whitelistedDomains":[],"extExcludeNoreferrer":""}},"ckeditorAccordion":{"accordionStyle":{"collapseAll":1,"keepRowsOpen":1,"animateAccordionOpenAndClose":1,"openTabsWithHash":1}},"user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"55d642afd4b8adb0fbfd7213d45e8cb2e428d99b26878bae45673a3575a61723"}}</script> <script src="/sites/default/files/js/js_mR76kQzoVGotWfDHRbzAXKSqDzj8i0Nw7l4B08NSAPg.js?scope=footer&delta=0&language=en&theme=polisci&include=eJxdi0EKwzAMBD_kRE8ysuwaESEZSYHm92mh7aGXZWeZpWN0TvOKROadTeHX9oeb5tBe6Gs1s4x0XDWxBbyjjGcK6wHdz4Wyf7BMsymjoqJcyRTwP5RlwkEMU6yhbJHX6zhvtkU6Hg"></script> <script src="/modules/contrib/ckeditor_accordion/js/accordion.frontend.min.js?ss014c"></script> <script src="/sites/default/files/js/js_KXHbMX-MbTHw6qCJPCy3Dpi6lDeB8qZju-YBKIUrREQ.js?scope=footer&delta=2&language=en&theme=polisci&include=eJxdi0EKwzAMBD_kRE8ysuwaESEZSYHm92mh7aGXZWeZpWN0TvOKROadTeHX9oeb5tBe6Gs1s4x0XDWxBbyjjGcK6wHdz4Wyf7BMsymjoqJcyRTwP5RlwkEMU6yhbJHX6zhvtkU6Hg"></script> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

Course Enrollment Strategies | UC Berkeley Political Science